AH Challenge: Make XIXth century a Russia-wank

Midgard

We all know that for all intents and purposes, XIXth century was a massive British Empire wank. Your challenge, should you accept it, is to make it a Russian Empire wank. Nothing ASB-ish, but at least similar in proportions and such to the British endeavors and accomplishments.

The caveats: POD has to be 1783 or later, Napoleonic Wars still have to occur and end with French defeat - so ideally, POD would be 1815 or later.

Set? Ready? Go!!!
 

wilcoxchar

Some quick thoughts, fairly undetailed.

War of 1812 goes better for the US, eastern Canada falls. Russia does better in Crimean War somehow, and proceeds to dismantle OE, go after Persia. Yukon gold rush attracts lots of Russians so Russia keeps Alaska and expands into Yukon. Not sure how this will affect the Scramble for Africa, but I suspect with access to the Bosporus and the Persian Gulf, Russia would be more interested in Egypt and the eastern African coast.
 

rcduggan

I'd say that the late 18th- early 19th century was at least somewhat wanky for Russia. They got a huge chunk of dismembered Poland, got Finland, Crimea, the Caucasus, all of Central Asia, Alaska, and the Amur valley. That's a lot of territory.

But for even more, maybe the Russians get Manchuria as they planned to do, and annexed parts of Afghanistan, Persia, Mongolia, etc.
 

Kriegdämmerung

I did the following for Admiral Canaris's "Drakacise a Culture" thread...
---
1812-Napoleon invades Russia. Adding to the harshness of the OTL attacks, he gives guns to native Ukrainians, Poles, Jews, etc, leading to wide-scale massacres of Russian civilians. Tsar Alexander I says never again...

1815-Congress of Vienna. After Russian troops nearly single-handedly crushed Napoleon's Eastern Front, Russia agreesively annexes all of Poland, Moldovia, Finland and Aland. Alexander I begins a Stalin-esque industrialization program...

1830s-Russia invades Scandinavia, Wallachia, and the Caucasus for resources and lebensraum. Idea of "Pan-Russism", proclaiming Russia's rite to dominate, is taught alongside Russian Orthodox doctrine. After a series of hammering wars, Russia has conquered all of the Caucusus, all of what would be Romania, Lappland, the mineral-rich territories of Sweden/Norway, and Northern Rumelia...

1846-France backs the Ottoman Empire in the Black Sea War aginst Russia. Russia wins after a brief two-year war, which leads to the annexation of the Balkans and Anatolia by the Russians. Syria, Palestine and Mesopotamia are occupied by France...

1848-Revolution in Hungary. Russia sends troops to back the rebellions, causing the Hapsburgs to collapse, leading to a unified Grossdeutschland, and Russian Gallicia, Hungary and Croatia...

In China, the Taiping Rebellion gains ground and succeeds...

1862-Russia expands onto the steppes of Central Asia and Sinkiang...

1870-What, there were people on these here steppes?:eek:

1873-Tensions between the British Empire and Russia boil over in Afghanistan. The Anglo-Russian War is fought in southern Scandinavia, Greece, Afghanistan/Balochistan, and China. The British quickly lose ground as the Russians turn their native serf soldiers into human-waves of cannon fodder. Afghanistan and Greece soon fall, the Russians annex all of China as far south as Guangzhou, take all of Korea, and finally take Norway...

1882-Russo-Japanese War begins. Russia invades still feudal Japan. Of course, a complete massacre as Japanese forces reach and raze Edo...

1885-The Russian Empire now stretches from Scandinavia and Poland to Alaska, from the Arctic to the Hindu Kush, with no end in site...

1891-Russia begins the Russo-Entente War by attacking the British in India and the French in Syria. After obscene numbers of casualties, Russia trimuphs, leaving nearly the entire Asian continent under the gaze of the Double Eagle...

1909-Russia, together with her allies Germany and Spain, prepare to face off against the British-French-American Alliance. All that's needed is a spark. US aggression towards Spanish Cuba prevails...
 

danielbd

Well Kriegdammerung, nationalism was not that developed in Eastern Europe at that time. There was too much class division for nationalism to exist in it's 20th century form.
I don't see any reason for Jews or Poles to massacre Russian civilians... since most peasants were more opressed than the Jews and Poles themselves; while the Cossacks in Ukraine proved loyal to the Russian throne.
Although with the remaining Muslims, things might be a bit different.
 

Carinthium

To be fair, the "Drakacise a Culture" thread did not require plausibility beyond the level good enough to fool a newbie.
 

Midgard

danielbd said:
Well Kriegdammerung, nationalism was not that developed in Eastern Europe at that time. There was too much class division for nationalism to exist in it's 20th century form.
I don't see any reason for Jews or Poles to massacre Russian civilians... since most peasants were more opressed than the Jews and Poles themselves; while the Cossacks in Ukraine proved loyal to the Russian throne.
Although with the remaining Muslims, things might be a bit different.
Click to expand...

Actually even with the Muslims in Russia, things were not quite as clear-cut. The Russian policy when conquering/taking over a territory was generally to coopt the local elite, giving them Russian titles of nobility, land holdings, etc. This led to some rather interesting situations, where the Bagrationi family (which ruled Georgia for centuries) ended up as Russian princes, or where Central Asian Muslim rulers ended up with Russian titles, and land holdings with Russian serfs, without having to give up their religion (although most did exactly that). The only serious resistance to the Russian rule other than the various homegrown entities (most of whom were inspired by the French Revolutionary ideals and such) was various tribal groups in the Caucasus - this conflict, in slightly different shape or form, is continuing on to this day.
 

Xenos

Russia needs another Peter the Great, a Tsar willing to modernise Russia. He (or she) would look to Britain with envy and bring about an industrial revolution and create an expanded and powerful middle class by surrendering enough power to ensure the survival of the monarchy. So Russia must become an industrialised, parliamentary democracy by mid-19th century. A professional army and a better equipped navy could bring victory in the Crimean War and future dominance of the Middle East. A victorious Russia could annex territory in China and hold onto Alaska without too much resistance.
 

Othniel

Midgard said:
We all know that for all intents and purposes, XIXth century was a massive British Empire wank. Your challenge, should you accept it, is to make it a Russian Empire wank. Nothing ASB-ish, but at least similar in proportions and such to the British endeavors and accomplishments.

The caveats: POD has to be 1783 or later, Napoleonic Wars still have to occur and end with French defeat - so ideally, POD would be 1815 or later.

Set? Ready? Go!!!
Click to expand...
This sounds like a job for Bulgartanos.
 
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